Rukhabad Mausoleum

The oldest, strictest and most ascetic building in Samarkand can be called the Rukhabad Mausoleum. There are no bright and colorful mosaics, outlandish finishes or glazes. The entire structure is made in a majestic but concise style. This approach is due to the fact that the relics of the revered Saint Burhaneddin Klych Sagarji, who was Tamerlane's mentor, are buried here.

This mausoleum was built in 1380 by order of the ruler of Central Asia. Tamerlane deeply revered Sagarji both as his mentor and as a deeply religious man. This sheikh stood out among others for his fervent faith, and was also a member of the ancient order of dervishes. Expressing his special gratitude to him, Timur decided to erect this magnificent tomb. There are stories that Burhaneddin Klych Sagarji personally asked Tamerlane for his remains to be buried in Samarkand. Timur promised to fulfill this request, and after the saint's death, he kept his word. Sagarji died in a distant and foreign China, and the emir returned him to his hometown and laid the lifeless body of his mentor in the tomb.

The mausoleum's shape is more like a cube. To enter the tomb, you can use three entrances, which is completely unlike other buildings of the Timur era, which had a single entrance connected to the portal. The exterior of the mausoleum is quite modest and discreet. The main predominance here is given to the use of burnt bricks. Special attention can only be paid to the huge wooden entrance door, which is executed by a rather skilled craftsman. The interior of the tomb is also executed in a rather strict form: the walls are decorated with simple white plaster and diluted with rare glazed tiles.

It is said that the emir treated the tomb of the sheikh with great reverence. Every time he passed her, Tamerlane dismounted, which was the highest expression of respect in those days.

Local legends say that Burhaneddin Sagarji always had with him one very rare and valuable relic — a small box with hair from the beard of the great prophet Muhammad. The sheikh always carried her with him, and Tamerlane decided to put her to rest with him forever. During the construction of the mausoleum, the box was walled up in the dome. After this action, the tomb of Burhaneddin Klych Sagarji became a place of pilgrimage for many Muslims and acquired the status of the most revered shrine in all of Samarkand.

Every tourist or guest of this ancient city with a centuries-old history can find this mausoleum on the central Registan street.